Thames Valley Churches of Christ

The Thames Valley Week ahead, 22 October 2018

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God bless,

 

Malcolm

The Kingdom Class 3, Malcolm Cox, Thames Valley churches of Christ

“The Kingdom” Class 3

Becoming a kingdom person

“The community or people ruled by God and with whom he dwells, to some extent reality now but to be fully consummated in the future”

1. What is reality?
2. Who is well-off or blessed?
3. Who is a truly good person?
4. How do you become a truly good person?

Matt 5.1-12

• 2…………….., Matt 7.13-14
• 2…………….., Matt 7.16-20
• 2…………….., Matt 7.24-27

1. How kingdom people live

1. Brighter, Matt 5.13-16; Matt 7.1-5

1. Deeper, Matt 5.17-20ff

1. Sweeter, Matt 5.16; Matt 6:25ff

1. Higher, Matt 5.17; Psalm 1

2. How kingdom people grow

• • Col 3.1-14; 2 Peter 1.1-11
  • Intentional cooperation with the Spirit through deliberate habit-forming choices empowered by the Spirit creating greater Christ-likeness in us over time
  • 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; 1 Timothy 4:7; Luke 6:40

Conclusion

• What is the area of greatest temptation towards un-kingdom like behaviour in your life at the moment?
• Which spiritual discipline could help your training to form Christlike habits in that area?

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The Thames Valley Week ahead, 15 October 2018

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org. 

 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

 

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

 

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

 

God bless,

 

Malcolm

"The kingdom of self and the kingdom of God", Thames Valley churches of Christ

TJ Masilamini shared about the difference between building a kingdom for ourselves as opposed to prioritising God's kingdom. We do well to, i. Tear down the kingdom of self, and, ii. Have an encounter with the holy.

It was a special delight to welcome TJ & Sonia to our service today.

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

God bless,

Malcolm

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"The Kingdom", Class 2, Malcolm Cox, Thames Valley churches of Christ

“The kingdom of heaven is like….” (Matt 13.24; 31, 33, 44, 45, 45, 47, 18.23; 20.1; 22.2)

“The community or people ruled by God and with whom he dwells, to some extent reality now but to be fully consummated in the future”

1. “Your kingdom come”

1. Present with Jesus
   1. “..if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28 NIV11)
   2. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20)
   3. “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” (Matthew 21:31 NIV11)
   4. Date:
2. Coming soon
   1. “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:28 NIV11)
   2. ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.” (Luke 11:2 NIV11)
   3. Date:
3. Coming in the future
   1. ““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of  the world.” (Matthew 25:34)
   2. “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.” (Luke 13:28)
   3. Date:

2. The character of the kingdom

• Question: “What does this parable tell you about the character of the kingdom? It’s values, it’s nature, it’s priorities?”
  • • • Parables: Matthew 13:24–30; 31–32; 33; 44; 45–46; 47–50; 18:23–35; 22:1–14; 24:51–25:13; 14–30; :31–46; Luke 18:15–17

Response

• Hebrews 6:5; Galatians 1:4; Romans 12:1–2

Thank you for watching this video. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

Thanks again for watching. Have a super day.

God bless,

Malcolm

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The Thames Valley week, 08 October 2018

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org. 

 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

 

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

 

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

 

God bless,

 

Malcolm

"How to have a harvest of joy", Acts 8.1-8, Malcolm Cox

“How to have a harvest of joy”

“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.” (Acts 8:1–8 NIV11)

“God places the best things in life on the other side of terror”

Question: What examples of courage do you see in this passage?

• Joy’s significance
  
  • “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10 NIV1)
  • “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” (Matthew 28:8 NIV11)

• God is joyful; Jesus is full of joy; the Holy Spirit provides joy…
  
  • “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” (Luke 10:21 NIV11)
  • “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 14:17 NIV11)
  • “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” (Galatians 5:22 NIV11)
  • “You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Thess 1:6)
  • Therefore makes sense to pursue joy. How?

Questions

• Where does courage comes from? Matthew 28.20.
• What would living faithfully courageously look like in your life?
• Where do you need more joy?

Three steps to faith-fuelled courage and joyful living:

• Jesus
• Open
• Yes

• People filled with joy attract others
• A church filled with joy attracts others

“God places the best things in life on the other side of terror”

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org. 

 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

 

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

 

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

 

God bless,

 

Malcolm

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"The Kingdom": Class 1, Malcolm Cox, Thames Valley churches of Christ

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.”
(Matthew 4:23 NIV11)

What is the Gospel? Matthew 4:23
If Jesus talked about kingdom, so should we, and we should think about it.

1. What does the OT reveal?
Daniel 2:44
Daniel 7:13–14
Matt 28:17–20

2. What did Jesus say?
Mark 1:14–15
Luke 4:43
Dynamic
Luke 11:19–20
Focus
Character: Matthew 13:24
Imminence: Luke 9:27, Luke 9:61–62

3. What does it mean?
Theories
Purely personally internal
Future
The hour of a person’s decision
Mythical symbol
Present with / in Jesus
Kingdom present functioning as precursor to coming perfected kingdom
Acts 1:6
“The community or people ruled by God and with whom he dwells, to some extent reality now but to be fully consummated in the future”

4. When is it coming?
Luke 19:11
Luke 17:20–21
Matthew 12:28
Luke 1:32–33

5. How can I participate?
John 3:5

6. What should be my response?
Enjoy the abundant (eternal) life now
Receive kingdom / receive eternal life
Matthew 19:16
Matthew 19:23
John 5:24

Through death of self
Luke 18:17
Luke 9:23
Not self-centred denial
But, Christ-centred denial

Leading to eternal impact
Matthew 24:14
Message
Mission
Motive

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

Thanks again for watching. Have a super day.

God bless,

Malcolm

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"Spiritual laziness", Heinrich Koorts, Thames Valley churches of Christ

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” (Hebrews 3:12–14 NIV11)

 

How do we keep our spiritual fervour? “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.” (Romans 12:11 NIV11)

 

Four steps:

1. Love your time with God because you are loved by God
2. Awareness of self
3. Zeal for God’s kingdom
4. Y - It starts with you, but it’s not about you, Luke 9.23

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org.

 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

 

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

 

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

 

God bless,

 

Malcolm

The Thames Valley week ahead, 1 October 2018 - Kingdom and Harvest

A new series on the Kingdom and a Harvest service.

 

Thank you for listening to this podcast. You can find more episodes in our feed. Our web site is http://www.tvcoc.org. 

 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

 

Do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send us your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: tvcochrist@gmail.com.

 

Thanks again for listening. Have a super day.

 

God bless,

 

Malcolm

 

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